Carrying Her Home
by Writer Awakened
Summary: Kent/Florina. Yes, I said Florina. Kent always helped those in need, man or woman alike. When Florina's legs were weak, he carried her home, but in the end it was her who held him up.
1. Part 1

_**Carrying Her Home**_

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_Kent always helped those in need, man or woman alike. He was more than glad to be her legs when she couldn't walk. Kent/Florina. The knight rescues the young woman in her time of need, but she saves him from himself in kind…_

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Please read this story at your leisure, and review if you wish. Above all, enjoy!

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_Part I (of II)_

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Florina sat under the healthy blooming canopy of the cherry tree, her back resting against the rigid bark. She looked up into the near distance, staring up into the sky and sighing gently as she did so. It was an off-day, one of the rare, precious few days of respite in this turbulent little conflict; it was a beautiful, clear, near-cloudless day, perfect for a flight just for the sake of flying.

Lately, she hadn't had much time to fly on her own terms; now, she eagerly awaited the moment when she and Huey would take to the sky, wings soaring and cutting through the blue sky, his feet kicking in a frenetic form of propulsion, her legs wrapping tight around his body and her hands caressing the pegasus' finely preened feathers. It had been a busy war, with little time for leisure or tending to one's own whims. Therein lied the rub.

So presently, she rose from her grounded perch and made her way on to the grove where the pegasi and wyverns were tied. She strode forth with a liberated, optimistic walk, and across the clearing where Merlinus and his convoy had set about resting for the day. All around, the members of Eliwood, Hector and Lyn's fighting troupe did this and that, walking here and there, doing such things now and then. The demure little pegasus girl passed by her companions, male and female, to whom she replied with varying degrees of timidity.

"Florina!"

"Aah!"

Florina nearly leapt into the air in surprise, and clutched her hands to her face as she whirled around, seeking the voice's owner.

"Florina!"

"Ah…Lyn!"

The beautiful young Sacaen woman strode up to Florina at some pace, a pleasant demeanor settled about her. She was…_invigorated_, a fresh floral scent wafting about her hair and person like summer air. She threw her brilliant hair back and it swooshed through the air like a gust of green wind. Lyn clasped her young friend's hands into hers, as gentle as a cool breeze, and smiled to her with the gentleness she reserved mainly for the purpose of the meek.

"How are you, Florina? I haven't had much time to speak to you lately. I trust you've been well?"

"Ah…Lyn! I've been fine!" Florina piped, greeting Lyn's smile with one of her own to match, a comfortable smile she was seldom seen comfortable enough to utilize. "I'm just going to go out for a flight with Huey today. The skies are beautiful, and I'm sure I can get a fine view of the land from above here!"

Lyn countered by widening her own smile. "Oh, how nice, Florina! But…be careful, alright? You never know if there's an archer or two hiding in the underbrush or behind a rock."

"Don't worry, Lyn! I've gotten better at spotting archers from afar! Oh, Lyn…I'll make sure not to worry you again! I promise."

Lyn nodded contently and stepped away in the other direction, craning her neck here and there as if she were looking for someone. Caught up in a moment of contemplation, Florina noted the pleasant smell of flowers wafting around Lyn's hair and briefly wished her own smelled as fresh, as beautiful, as modest.

There! Just…there. Had she caught it? Had the timid girl caught sight of envy in the air, floating about her own eyes, as very green as the cascade of hair Lyn left in her wake? There, again, a feeling she was all too familiar experiencing and far too detached to speak of aloud.

_Lyn…do you fear for me? Do you fear for me the way I irrationally fear for you. You can take care of yourself, Lyn, but if I…if I were not to return, would you be…_

-

The small grove, pleasantly situated on a slight downhill, was a nice change of pace from the plains of the wooded highland. The ground here was fresh, mildly damp from the moisture clinging to the mighty firs above, and covered in sweet dirt, fallen leaves, and various wooded standbys that wove a pleasantly soft and mild carpet. Somewhere in the center of the grove (beyond where our heroes' pegasi were tethered) was a demure, crystalline lake that fed in from a larger lake in the mountains on the distance.

Earlier, our own Florina and Lyn walked there together and filled several canteens full of the crystal water, bringing them back as prized rations for the brave soldiers among them. Those freed from the unfavorable chains of standard ration water had the inclination to view the two returning women as goddesses; good-tasting water was a surprisingly pleasant boon. Sain in particular latched on to the phrase "Wondrous Water Goddesses" and made use of it until he was nearly as blue in the face as the water he drank.

Florina, making her way to the tether point, found the distinct markings on the trees indicating the way, and in short time found the place, with little difficulty or strain.

The place was a small clearing in the middle of the grove, and though there were trees here and there, it would not be difficult for Florina and her pegasus to launch into the air, and once they were airborne, they would soar high above the trees without concern. She found Huey gentle nuzzling the tree to which he was tethered, nibbling tenderly on the remainder of the food that had been allowed to him. Accompanying him were Florina's sisters Fiora and Farina's pegasi, as well as Heath's wyvern Hyperion, all self-maintaining and entertaining themselves well, all calm and well behaved in their masters' absences. Murphy in particular seemed at ease, happily fluttering its wings and neighing contently. Florina did not take note of this, but it was assured almost everyone else in the party would have both known and realized why Farina's pegasus would be so happy in her absence.

"Ah, Huey!" Florina said, smiling and saddling up her pegasus. She reached into her bag and pulled out a treat for him, which he accepted graciously, and responded to her kindness by nuzzling her face. She giggled softly and embraced the beast's head lovingly.

"How are you today, Huey? Oh, you're such a good pegasus!" she cooed. Unburdened by her shyness, she was completely at ease in the presence of the pegasus, even going so far as to initiate conversation. She loved her pegasus.

Florina mounted the beast, strapped herself in, and leaned forward, pressing her hands against his sides. Being learned in his rider's ways, Huey kicked himself into the air, and together they launched into the brilliant azure skies, like a bird free from its cage, eager to rise ever upwards, onwards.

At the very edge of the clearing, Huey propelled himself upward, above the line of trees, and now Florina and her mount flew through the air at a steady pace, his legs kicking and wings flapping gently; her legs wrapped around him, her hands on his head, looking over the landscape in bliss. They were nearly reaching the ceiling, the pinnacle of height their flight could reach, and from here, it almost seemed as though the whole world had shed its cover and opened its arms to them.

"Ah! Just look at the scenery here, Huey!" Florina remarked as they flew, looking down at the forest as it zoomed ever along, and further on, into the mountains thick with mist and the plains that formed with rivers and painted a natural portrait on a natural canvas.

But as she flew, watching the land zoom by as she flew further north, away from the camp, she began to feel an acute sense of loneliness. It was _unconditionally_ lonely here, in the skies where no one flew, where she and her pegasus were alone amongst the sound of beating feet, of wings, and of rushing wind, and the occasional bird flying by. Florina kept good company here, but still, it was no substitute. No substitute…

Florina loved the scenery. She loved its natural beauty, how everything seemed to meld together in nature's special way, how it stretched infinitely underneath Huey's wings, how they rose high above it, and yet kneeled low before its majesty.

But…there was an emptiness here, an emptiness on _her_ canvas, separate from the rich, lush fullness of the canvas below, upon which she set her roving, lonely eyes upon. She sought companionship, not merely someone with whom to share a view such as this with, but someone with whom she felt comfortable. Because, as hard as she tried, as much as she wished to meld in with the inevitabilities of life, she could not acclimate herself to war.

Oh, she desired _so_ much to be able to fly beside her proud sisters- Fiora, the honorable soldier; Farina, the prideful mercenary. She had never wanted to surpass them, but she did not want to stand in their shadows either. Serving as a knight in Caelin's army only opened her eyes further to the rigors and realities of battle. She didn't want to fight, but she could hardly afford to lay down her weapons. There were so many people she wanted to protect, so many people she wished to look up to, and so many people whom she owed, that to roll over and give up on inevitability was…simply unforgivable.

"Oh, Huey…" she said, pressing her face closer to his warm neck and feathers, "I just want…to help them. I just want to be strong, so I can protect them. Lyn, Kent, Sain, Wil, and all the others. But why am I…why I am so…"

In her lamenting, her trouble she kept merely to please others, her pain she bore simply so that she could ease the pain of others, she was unaware of the men standing on a crag in the clearing below, watching. She flew on for several minutes, then turned in mid-air and flew south, back toward her camp. And the men, who served only to please themselves, who delivered pain and weight unto the shoulders of others for their own benefit, stood watching- and waiting.

---

Kent, dutiful knight of the guard, walked forth through the camp. It was a grassy clearing, Merlinus's tents strewn about on the grounds here and there as relaxation spots. As the knight walked, his red armor held tight to his body, his red hair brushed back and out of his hair, he could still hear the words of an elder of his. He was not his general, _per se_, but one who commanded attention and respect; one who kept his best interests in mind. His wise words echoed in his mind freely. Kent bore those words there, even if he had not allowed his heart to become involved in the interpretation of their meaning.

_"Sir Marcus!"_

_The knight of Pherae turned from his workbench where he had set about to sharpen his implements. His steel lance lay there, its point becoming keener and more defined with every touch of the coarse grindstone and the small sharpening blade. He noticed young Sir Kent and greeted him with a firm smile and an outstretched hand._

_"Ah, Kent! Well met!" the purple-haired knight said, who had served two lords yet and could easily serve a third should his lord bear a child…_

_"The same, Sir Marcus," Kent replied, returning the handshake- a firm, respectable one- and bowing deeply. "I have come to ask you something."_

_"Of course, Kent. Expect an honest answer," the elder knight added with a smile._

_"Yes, sir. You see, the issue is…in your honest opinion, have I…have I upheld my duty and honor as a knight?"_

_"Hmm…in what way, Kent?" asked Marcus, a contemplative look brushing his visage. "You seem quite dutiful. You hone your skills dutifully, you fight with caution and poise, as is your duty, and you speak with the honor of those befitting a man of duty. You seem to be coming along quite beautifully in your sense of duty! And your honor is unflinching, unquestionable. Your good deeds and keen skills have not gone unnoticed, son."_

"_Yes, sir. I see, well…" Kent paused for a moment, and hung his head. Then, he raised it, and spoke again. "Sir Marcus, I have made it a distinct point not to become attached or romantically involved with anyone during the course of this war. Even before this greater conflict began with the disappearance of Lord Pherae, I…made a point not to put myself in a situation where I would be, for lack of a better word, tempted. But, I feel that I…that I perhaps have been too unsociable, that I have perhaps been too taciturn or oblivious with the ladies. Even if my tone may be pleasant, I fear that I might seem…cold, distant. I beseech you, good Sir Marcus, that you may give me your advice?"_

_Now Marcus paused, and thought. Kent stood and waited, nervously, shifting his weight from foot to foot. Finally, Marcus seemed to come to a satisfactory answer, and spoke._

_"Kent, what you must understand about a knight's oath is this: the oath of a knight is one of fealty to his lord. You owe a tremendous loyalty to that lord, a willingness to put yourself in harm's way for that lord's sake. You _must_ do what you can to uphold your duty, to protect your lord, and to serve under any and every circumstance. Yet, do not forget that you are a man, as well as a knight. You are not like many of our enemies, an emotional construct without feeling or heart. Keep that humanity close in your mind, keep your emotions true in your heart. Treat everyone equally. And, should you find yourself falling in love, make sure never, _ever_ to let your personal feelings interfere with your sense of duty. But…don't forget that love, and don't ignore it. Because loyalty to yourself is only second to the loyalty of your lord."_

_"Sir Marcus, I…I understand," Kent replied, after a contemplative pause. "I…thank you. I feel enlightened having sought your guidance."_

_Kent bowed deeply with the utmost of respect._

_"Any time," Marcus said, with a smile. "If you ever need my guidance, feel free to speak with me, child. You are a fine young man."_

_"Thank you, Sir Marcus. I will."_

Kent turned his head up. He had heard what Sir Marcus had said, and had taken it to heart, but…old habits died hard. His heart was a dangerous thing, it was clear. As much as Sir Marcus urged him to open himself up a bit and acknowledge his feelings, Kent still felt reluctant. He was afraid.

Still, he swallowed a lump in his throat, and loosened his collar. He didn't know what to do next, but perhaps he would try to strike up a conversation with someone…

"Kent!"

The knight, who had been called, stopped in his tracks and turned about. One of his lords, the lady under whom he had served for a year, rushed forward to greet him.

"Kent!" Lyn repeated, brushing back a bit of her long, green hair, "I've been looking for you!"

"What is it you wish to speak to me of, milady?" the knight replied.

"What have you been doing today?" she asked, smiling warmly and waiting for a response. She noticed the distinct amount of discomfort Kent seemed to bear, how he stood ramrod straight but trembled, how he seemed to be sweating unusually much, and how he kept clearing his throat nervously. "Are you…quite alright?"

"Y-yes, milady. I've- erhem- been speaking to Sir Marcus, and prior to that, I've been practicing my…swordplay."

If Lyn didn't know him any better, she might have thought he was smitten with her for all the incompetent babbling and stuttering he was exhibiting. Those were, after all, quite obvious signs. Still, he had shown no interest in her beforehand, so she had no rational reason to believe as such. Besides, it was, after all, Kent. Simply by looking at him, Lyn came to the (quite accurate) conclusion that he was a bit overworked, and nothing more.

"Kent, you've been running yourself ragged lately!" she said, in a way that sounded much like a mother doting playfully on her child. "Today is a day of rest. You've time to practice your swordsmanship some other time. Please, take some time to yourself to relax. Take a walk, clear your head! Ease yourself, ease your mind."

_Ah, milady…you don't know how dearly I need to ease the mind of mine, but-_

"With all due respect milady, I"- Kent paused for a moment. He had nearly regressed to his old ways; he had nearly forgotten about what Sir Marcus had spoken to him of. So, reluctantly, he nodded his head, closed his eyes, and sighed very lightly. "I thank you, milady. I appreciate that gesture. So, if…I may take your leave?"

"Of course, Kent!" Lyn replied. "In fact, I _command_ you to!"

Now it was Kent's turn to break into a smile.

---

"Here she comes, from the south."

The archer stood on the high rock in what might be described as an almost trance-like state. His eyes peered observantly into the distance like, and nothing else functioned. This man's eyes were like looking-glasses, like lenses that peered so far into the distance that even the king of Bern in his faraway castle would have felt he was being gazed at, should he have been aware (and been in this man's line of sight). This looking man was tall enough to see the sky from a good vantage point, thin enough to bound his way nimbly up the crag, and dressed in dark green garb that hid him well amongst the foliage of this great forest. His hair was short and black.

He was one of the men- one of the men who fought for the sake of fighting, who fought for money, who fought for greed, who fought for their own stupid, selfish reasons. But this man, he was a man who stood always looking off into the horizon, even if the sky was far away from his roving eyes. And not a day went by that he did not look off into that great horizon and called it a sin he would never reach that height. He was faceless, nameless, unimportant- a bit player on the stage of life. He was known by his bow, and nothing more.

_This_ particular great height, the great rock on which this man stood, extended as a crag, and stretched up many, many feet into the sky. He stood at the apex of the peninsula, and stared up at the sky above the canopy to the south. He was ever vigilant, waiting patiently for her arrival.

The pegasus rider approached at a constant pace.

That man, the archer, saw the pegasus and could make out, even from this distance, the figure of the rider. It was a small young woman with flowing lavender hair, and she rode what appeared to be a male pegasus, a strong but somewhat smallish one with an ample amount of feathers and a strong neck. The rider seemed to be pressing her face against the pegasus's, perhaps out of fatigue. The rider showed good form- she seemed to have been well trained; perhaps she was a veteran of combat. And she rode quickly and fluidly at a good clip, though it seemed their speed was being stifled by _something_…

"A pegasus? So, they were right," the burly man who stood behind the archer in the black hair vocalized. "They said one pegasus from the south. Good eyes, huh? Does it look like a member of Ilia's Pegasus Brigade?"

The archer shook his head. "It doesn't look it. Ilian pegasus knights usually wear distinct outfits, and their pegasi are usually marked in some way. Also, Ilian pegasi trained for battle are generally larger than more domestic types of pegasi. This one has none of those indications. But the rider has good form in riding, and is setting a good pace, so it looks like she's seen battle. Maybe a mercenary? Still, it's a very small beast. If I didn't know any better, I'd say it's perhaps a civilian rider, or…"

"Or what?" the burly man barked, scratching his nose and looking at the forest around him. His time was _obviously_ better spent somewhere else. "What else could it be?"

"Or perhaps it's merely the pegasus of a girl who just doesn't like such…big things. Hmm, imagine that ever happening! That's _unheard_ of!" Our archer smiled wryly and watched as the rider came closer and closer.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, huh?" asked the other man, when all of a sudden, his fellow motioned him to duck. Both did so, and the pegasus flew straight overhead, not noticing them at all.

"Close one," The archer noted, still grinning. He watched with an eagle's eye as the pegasus continued its flight north, and now stared northward to follow its path.

"Close one? What the hell? She was up there above the tree line! She wasn't looking down at us, and there was no way she'd have hit us!" vociferated the burly man, now stroking his stubble very vigorously out of emotion. He was both impatient and angry at the moment, and perhaps he hadn't…_carved_ anybody up lately, so his…_frustration_ might've just overwhelmed him as he spat out his words. "And what's more, you could have shot that damned wench down right there, if you wanted! Nailed her! Why'd you hold back?"

"Because," the archer said, still watching the pegasus as it flew away. He spoke with in a calm manner, ignoring his fellow's frustration. "It's not an Ilian rider. We couldn't have made any money off of their royal accoutrements. And there's no reason to believe that she was carrying such a great amount of money. And besides," he grinned, his amusement hidden from the angry man,

"We're mercenaries, aren't we? Shouldn't we be holding ourselves to a 'higher standard'?"

The burly man, scowled and grunted. He jumped at the opportunity to let loose his chiding spiel, to release upon his lesser the word of law.

"'Higher standard' my ass! We sell ourselves out to the highest bidder. Our work is killing people. Our gold is given to us by rich bastards who want people dead from their own selfish reasons. Our 'bonuses' are the possessions found on the dead man's stinking corpse. Our home bases are the barracks of war. And our 'element' is the bloody, raw battlefield, amongst the corpses of our targets. Now tell me, smart-ass. How the hell is that supposed to be a 'higher standard'?"

The boss man spit on the ground and smirked behind the archer's (who was his subordinate in this bastard order) back. "You knew what you were getting into when you joined up with us, too. So don't bring this 'higher standard' nonsense up. You'll just make yourself think about what you're doing, which'll never work. So, next time that pegasus comes by, shoot it down."

"If I recall, she's not a target,' the archer replied, tweaking the string of his bow. His expression had settled into the emotionless, pursed-lip expression he was known for. "We don't get anything from killing her, do we?"

"The spoils of war. Whatever she's got," boss man shot back. "And if she's still breathing when she hits the ground, that could be…a _lot_." Smirk.

The faceless, unimportant archer said nothing, but merely thought, _and this is the way of the world? Perverted temptation and bloodshed? Mercenaries? These guys are more like ruffians, common thugs._

"Besides," the big boss added, "that's an order from a superior. You know what happens to derelicts of duty?"

"Right," our archer said dryly. "Indeed."

The pegasus came along from the north, flying south. He could feel his boss's eyes boring into him from behind. He sighed helplessly, notched an arrow into his bowstring, and waited for the beast to fly above.

"Here goes…nothing."

_Thwang_!


	2. Part 2

_-Part 2-_

---

Florina heard the scream of pain from her pegasus and momentarily wondered just what had happened. The girl grabbed the reins for dear life as Huey screamed and writhed in pain, bucking back and forth, wailing as it flew southward awkwardly through the azure sky. As it dipped and dived up and down through the sky uneasily, the young woman righted herself and looked over at the side of her pegasus' neck.

"Aah! Oh no, oh no…"

Florina's heart and hopes sunk just as her pegasus did. Lodged in the beast's neck, between two bones: an arrow. The feathers around the great flying creature's neck were stained with his fresh blood, and if not for her fear of it, she would have caressed him in a vain attempt to take his pain away. She spotted his eyes, the ones now filled with the ravages of anguish and…fear? Regret? He reared his neck upwards, moved it around and around to try to quell the pain that was surely surging through his every muscle and bone. The rider with whom he had become so acclimated was no comfort to him now. Every last flap of his great wings was another needle of pain coursing through his body under his preening.

"Huey! N-no, what happened? An arrow! Where did- how could"-

Florina looked backwards, downwards at the landscape, but saw nothing, nothing that could have indicated where the arrow had came from. Her pegasus gave out another loud, shrill cry of pain, and she felt them both descending at an alarming. Its wings and its feet were slowing down, and now they dipped almost to the canopy of the forest, Huey's feet nearly scraping the leaves.

They weren't even in the vicinity of the camp- it was unlikely anyone would find them, and it was plainly that they would crash helplessly here, amongst the leaves on the ground of the forest.

Her every sense was amplified. The bitter, sour smell of death and fear on the air, of life balancing on a ledge out in space. She could see the crimson in slow motion leaving her pegasus behind, and she could _feel_ the life and energy of her dear friend seeping away from him as he plummeted ever closer to the wretched ground. She could taste the blood and grime and death and fear in her mouth, and it tasted miserable, lingering on her palette and refusing to let go. It was perhaps the most terrible feeling she had experienced in her life.

Florina leaned in toward her pegasus and stroked its mane as she had before, even as the beast let out horrible yells of pain, its blood streaking into the sky behind them as they plummeted. Hastily, she said her good-byes.

Now the beast whinnied and whined weakly, its death sentence being carried out before the rider's very eyes. It was all he had left, and soon it would be gone, and likely her as well. So, Huey's eyes, the eyes of an innocent pegasus, looked off into the blurry distance, and perhaps looked off into the infinite future waiting beyond. And before the young woman's eyes flashed her life: or rather, the lives of others. Lyn, Hector, Eliwood, everyone…

_Oh Huey…please, don't leave me yet…are we going to die here together? Lyn…Lyn, you were right. Why, oh why did I have to be so…_

Her sisters…Fiora, Farina. They would be left alone now, alone in their petty little feud, and it was all her fault…

_No…how many…how many tears will be shed for me? How much grief will my foolishness have caused? Everyone…I'm sorry…_

Florina clamped her eyes shut tight as Huey dipped low and they spiraled uncontrollably downward into the shadowed forest.

---

"Got her."

The boss cackled gleefully. "Ha! Ha ha! Excellent shot! I knew that if you put your mind to it you could take that little wench down! Ha! More spoils for us! Huzzah!" He threw his arms into the air, clinging to an axe in his right.

The tall archer shut his eyes and dropped his bow to his side. He drew a sharp breath, analyzed the situation, and replied, "The pegasus is flying erratically, still moving southward. It shouldn't be long before it plummets to the canopy below. I shot it in the neck. There's little chance it will survive, but there's still a chance the rider will."

Boss grinned and gave his lesser man a hearty slap on the shoulder. "Hah! Great work! Don't hurt the girl, we could make use of her! You're smarter than I thought. See, _that's_ how you play the devil's game! Ha ha!"

_You bastard, that's not why I…_

"Hey boss!"

The boss cocked his head and looked toward the bottom of the plateau. "Yeah? What is it?"

Another of the mercenary troupe stood at the base, pointing his thumb north, deeper into the forest. "The nobleman and his guard are passing through the clearing! We have to go!"

"Gah! The target!" The burly man turned back to the archer. "Good job. We can find the girl later. She'll probably be out for a while. We'll have plenty of time to have our fun with her then. Now c'mon!"

Boss turned and hastily leapt down the rocks, following his subordinate deeper northward into the forest. For a bit, the man in the dark garb followed the burly man closely, mirroring his steps almost exactly as the larger man hit the ground and dashed in-between the trees. Finally, at the base of the rock, that archer stopped. His leader continued to run on through the forest, towards his text target, his next payment, his next source of instant gratification.

The archer, however, had too great a conscience to worry much about the current of life's sea, and the simplistic waves of materialism. Even now, the sound of the bow and the far-reaching scream of the pegasus echoed incessantly in his ears. The sight of the beast falling, the arrow pierced through his neck repeated in his mind _ad nauseam_ like a show of moving pictures. He reached into his pocket for a flask and took a mighty swig, blinding himself to these terrible thoughts and steadying himself.

He had felt this way before, though not as strongly. Now, the drink didn't change his mind- it only steeled his body. He'd do this- it wouldn't make up for all the other horrible things he'd done, but it was something, at least.

"There's no way," said he, wiping his mouth, "that I'm going to just leave her to rot amongst the leaves." He had made his mind up the moment he let that arrow go. The stoic man with the black hair started running south as fast as his legs could carry him, his bow still clutched impulsively in his hands, to search for the girl who he himself had downed.

---

The forest was tranquil and cool today, Kent noted as he rode north. The cavalier could see the sun poking out from behind the canopy of trees. The way the light filtered through was marvelous to behold; the shafts broke into a mellow kind of shine that illuminated the leaves below and gave a gentle sort of look to the entire forest.

_This is a romantic sort of scene, I suppose,_ Kent thought to himself. He urged his horse along at a steady pace. The cherry trees interspersed with the pines and the firs and the other trees of various sorts were all beautiful in their full blossoming. The sunlight here was dim enough to set a calming, almost sensual sort of mood. And the air here was pleasant, cool but not too cool; it was an atmosphere that was nothing special to note, which lent more precedence to whomever was standing beside you.

_This is…one of the simpler things in life. A beautiful day. I admit, it is rather pleasant taking the time to enjoy this, not having to worry about fighting, or war, or the affairs of royalty…_

Kent rode on, but he shut his eyes. He couldn't believe what he had set his mind to thinking. At this moment, when he let his mind wander from serious issues, his lord, his lady could be in peril. And at this moment, he would be caught with his pants down, enjoying the "simpler things" while letting the "complicated things" take the life of his liege.

_Blast it all! I don't know where to draw the line…I don't know how much I should take of life for myself. I've never felt this way before…I've never allowed myself to become so intimate with matters of my own. Sir Marcus, am I doing myself right, setting myself on the right course?_

To think about these things pained him, and now he breathed heavily, his mind a mess of doubts and fears. It had been quite a time. Indeed, it may have been true what Lady Lyn had said. Maybe he _had_ run himself ragged, and more than simply taking a toll on his body, it had taken a toll on his mind. Kent rode on still, stroking the mane of his horse gently and with all the love he held inside. His horse bore the fatigue of his body well, but nothing invigorated the fatigue he felt in his mind.

Suddenly, Kent's heart leapt. There was, from somewhere ahead of him, a voice. It was somewhat faint but had a sort of desperate volume to it, and it seemed to carry through the forest, caroming off the trees, riding on the wind. He pricked his ears and darted his eyes around, looking for where it had come from.

_That is...someone's voice!  
_

---

The violent, overeager embrace of the ground was an overeager man of whom Florina was deathly afraid. It was not as sharp a descent as it could have been; still, when Huey slammed into the ground it jarred her, the rider, to her very core. In every muscle and bone in her body she felt the pressure working her way through and tearing bits and pieces through the shell of her tender existence. She cried out to the good sky in pain, and two tears worked their way from her eyes and slid down her pink cheeks. She hastily loosened her saddle, rolled off of her beast of burden, and hit the soft, leaf-strewn forest floor. It was a few minutes, but it seemed like hours, where Florina lay there, sprawled on her back like an angel fallen from the sky, breathing heavily and taking in the cool air graciously. She had shut her eyes and her mind upon impact, and only dared to open them when she lifted her body off of the ground, slowly and deliberately. Her mind raced and shivered.

_Ah…it hurts…_

Florina quickly realized that though she could lift herself to a sitting position, her legs simply would not bring themselves to support her weight. She didn't feel as though they had been broken, but they felt to be under such a great weight of fatigue, pain, and shock, that she could not even bring herself to rise.

_N-no…Huey…my legs…I can't…_

As best she could, Florina set to tending to her pegasus. His eyes, they were glassy and weak, much like the dwindling existence of the beast of burden itself. The eyes, they looked at her so weakly and with such sadness that it was impossible to believe it was ignorant of his own destiny. The only male with whom Florina felt comfortable neighed.

"H-Huey…h-hang on, I…I'll help you…"

She took what she could out of her tote bag: a roll of cloth, some special feather-safe adhesive, and a bag of tablets. With every scrape of her hands against the dirt of the ground, her nails ached, gathering dirt deep under them. She moved slowly, timing the seconds in he head, the time it took to reach the other side of the pegasus's neck. It hurt her in every way, to see the great beast's eyes, tears running down its feathers just as tears were running down her cheeks. She knew as well as he did that every second was one second closer to death for him.

She had nearly reached the wound when her arms, like her legs, merely gave way, and she rolled onto her back in fatigue and desperation, legs and arms spread like a fallen angel, tears now running rampant over her face, an endless abyss falling over her. She was so close, but she couldn't raise a hand up, and now she lay there, resigned to lying next to her faithful mount in his last moments.

"H-Huey…no…why…I 'm sorry…I'm so sorry. I couldn't, I don't want you to…to…"

"You!"

Florina heard the male voice, but couldn't move her head to see. She opened her eyes, blurry and faint from weakness and tears, and saw an unfamiliar man standing over her, looking down at her weak body with a serious, focused look upon his face and in his eyes. A frightened, surprised squeak compulsively escaped her lips.

This strange man was garbed in dark clothing, but she could see nothing else in his hands or on his person, and she hoped for sake of hoping that he would not do her any harm in this vulnerable position.

"Your pegasus," the man continued, looking from her over to the wounded pegasus and back again, visibly concerned. "It's bleeding from the neck…are these things used to help it?" He pointed to the cloth and the tablet.

"Aah…p-please…f-feed…feed and bandage him…" Florina said, shutting her eyes and trying to forget it was an unknown man who was trying to help.

_He's trying to help, he's trying to help, he's trying to help. He's not going to touch me- he means no harm…_

The unknown man spoke firmly but respectably, and though it was hard to tell, his voice seemed to reassure her that he was no threat to her. "Hmm…be thankful 'he' didn't come over and see you first. A vulnerable girl with her legs spread like that…gah…" -the man stopped and seemed to wince-, "Anyway, I'm at least thankful he didn't…"

Florina drew in a quick breath and furrowed her brow, flustered at hearing that horrible fear spoken aloud. But she did not see this alien, speaking man's face, the man bandaging her pegasus, though she tried to turn her face to see. Indeed, she did not see him remove the arrow, did not see him wrap the cloth around his wounds, and could not see him feed her beloved Huey the tablet that would rejuvenate him even from his near-fatal injuries. She did not see him dart away, as silently as he had come. And, she did not see him take a bow, -a _bow!-_, from behind the tree where he had so surreptitiously placed it, and scurry away with it.

He disappeared so quickly that she merely uttered "help!" with the last of her voice and fell silent, and when she awoke she forgot he had even existed.

---

He thought he had recognized the voice when it had came on the wind, and as he saw the young woman laying on the forest floor next to the pegasus, Kent _knew_ he had recognized that voice.

"Lady Florina? Lady Florina!"

"Aah! Is…is that…"

Florina opened her eyes, and rolled her head weakly to the side. Her vision was blurry, as it had been before, but she could clearly make out the man's crimson armor, his distinct face, and his blazing red hair. He kneeled beside her, his face lashed with a look of true concern.

"Lady Florina, are you alright? What has happened here?"

The fallen rider flashed a weak smile, and for the first time since she plummeted, she began to feel at ease. "Ah, Sir Kent! I was struck by a- an arrow. Umm, my…my pegasus was gravely wounded in mid-air, and I plummeted…I-I can't move…"

_No…how could this have happened?_ Kent thought to himself, mind racing and kicking itself into high gear, _She's injured! I have to get her back to camp for the healers to mend her!_

"Lady Florina," Kent explained, still at his knees. He placed a hand behind her head and a hand on her back and began to lift her upwards. "Please excuse me if I am a bit…rough. I will be as careful as possible."

With the injured pegasus knight in his arms, he mounted himself and saddled himself in. As it was, Kent sat at the reins of his horse with Florina resting in his arms, his right arm both supporting her back and tugging the reins, his left arm under the crook of her legs, so that she lay almost horizontal to him. Her head lay close and just below his, and he could readily smell the fresh, invigorating fragrance on her lavender hair. He did his best to disregard all of these things, and urged his horse to make good pace.

"Lady Florina, your pegasus…"

"Eek!" Florina piped, bursting her head up. "Aah…oh, no, it's only your voice, Sir Kent…" She laid back down and breathed a deep breath to calm her racing heart. "Ah, Huey, he…he should be alright. An…" -Florina paused-, "an angel saved him."

"I see," Kent said, pulling at the reins. They rode off at a steady, but slightly slower pace, the horse undeterred by the added weight of the young lady. "But there is…no one else in this forest?"

"I don't think so…welll, I didn't see anyone, at least."

"I see."

They rode in silence, then, for several minutes, the only sound being the horses' hooves against the soft earth. The air rushed by, cooling Florina's face and blasting defiantly into Kent's. He did not miss a step of his stride, and therefore his pace was not only incredibly smooth, but also swift. It was perhaps the most inspired ride he had lulled his horse (and himself) into making in quite a while.

The lavender-hair girl shifted slightly in her cradle, surprisingly comfortable for such a crudely designed human-sling. Florina opened her resting eyes to find herself looking upwards, directly into the face of her savior.

"Ah…Kent?"

"Are you alright, Lady Florina?" he asked, his eyes flitting between her face and the path through the trees ahead. From under her legs and her back, he urged the reins to set the horse down a clear path.

"I-I think so…" she replied meekly. She was, unquestionably, fatigued. Even though Kent was an acquaintance of hers, she still felt that sense of irrational androphobia seeing, talking to him. But her fatigue- the overwhelming, dull sense of fatigue- nullified that fear, and she was simply so overwhelmed by the situation, that she couldn't worry about her little problem now.

"Are you quite sure your pegasus is alright?" Kent asked, looking for a way to break the awkwardness he was now beginning to feel. A subject change was in order, for sure. Having a lovely woman in his arms, alone with him; he must keep his eyes and his mind focused ahead, and tread on this fire carefully…

"I think so…Huey should know how to return back to our camp. When he recovers a bit, he should be able to return."

"I see. I'm…glad to hear that," Kent replied. He tugged at the collar of his armor and swallowed.

"But I…I had a horrible dream…" Florina explained, her voice still weak and raspy. She had little energy, but she had enough to lift her head just a bit and look up into Kent's eyes with poise and honesty. "I…I dreamt that there was this strange man standing over me. I…I couldn't fight back, I couldn't even move. I was tied up, and Huey…I couldn't save…"

"Florina," Kent said as Florina began to cry freely, the emotions spilling out of her eyes like a jug overfilling. She shivered, as if with cold, and scrunched herself up into a vaguely fetal position.

The knight continued his horse's stride, and he pulled the girl in his arms a bit closer, rocked her gently, to calm her as best he knew how. "It's alright. You are safe now, Florina. Here, with…me."

"Ah…ah…oh… t-thank you, Sir Kent!" she said, smiling graciously and weakly wiping away her tears and looking up into his eyes "I…appreciate it so dearly. I hope I'm not- not a burden to you."

"No, never. It is…my duty and my pleasure."

The sun continued to shine its light through the canopy, and the more they rode south toward their encampment, the greater this light became, becoming less and less obscured by the lines of branches overhead. It was getting better, slowly; it was getting better.

This was still quite a romantic scene, Kent noted, and his heart seemed to flutter up and down in his chest. He shut his eyes, trying to imagine himself in a realm of balance where the answer to the questions "what is enough?" and "what is too much?" did not float over his mind.

Then, Florina's voice spoke, and he was thrown from his troubled introspection, and opened his eyes to look upon her gentle face.

"Sir Kent? Are you…alright? I'm sorry, it's just that you seem a little bit troubled. Please excuse me for being so nosy…"

Kent sighed. _It isn't right to subject her to my fears, to my insecurities, that would be cruel. But I…I cannot lie to her. I…_

"Lady Florina, I am sorry, myself. I am, perhaps, a troubled man."

"Umm…how so?"

The riding knight shook his head. "I'm sorry. I do not wish to trouble you with my"-

"No, please, Sir Kent," Florina said. "If there is something on your mind, maybe I can ease it. If anything, I'll…listen to you. I want to help you if I at all can…you've been so kind to me. It's all I can do to repay your kind favor…"

"I…no, I apologize, Lady Florina. I can't…"

"Sir Kent, if I may say something?"

Kent looked down. "Of course."

"You see," the girl began, looking ahead into the sky through the break in the trees. Her eyes windowed the past. "Lady Lyndis and I…we've known each other for a while now. Her and I…we became such fast friends over the course of time. Lady Lyn has always been there to protect me, whenever I was in trouble or needed a helping hand."

"Yes, Lady Lyndis is indeed a kind young woman."

"But I…I was always so helpless! Lady Lyndis was always the one who saved me from trouble, who rescued me when I needed rescuing, who helped me in my times of need! But I…I was never there for her when she needed me! I've seen her sometimes with tears streaming down her face trying so hard to hide it, and I've never been able to help her! And whenever I'm flying…I always end up making a fool of myself."

"Lady Florina…"

"Sir Kent," Florina said, looking up at the knight with pleading eyes, "I've always felt as though I could never do anything, that I was always simply a burden to everyone…that nobody truly wished for me to be around…"

"That is most certainly not true!" Kent argued, looking down at her in elevation, but certainly not in opinion. "Lady Lyndis admires you! You…to her, you are her light, her truth, her dearest friend. You share something with my lady that is much greater than any accomplishment on the battlefield: your kindness, your heart, your spirit. Lady Florina, as a knight, I've made it my duty and my life to protect people such as yourself."

"Oh, Kent…" the pegasus knight cooed as Kent cradled her. "You're- you're so kind to me. I…whenever I walk around, afraid of everyone, afraid of conflict, afraid of sociality, I always feel so alone…I don't want to be alone forever!"

"You won't, Lady Florina!" Kent blurted quickly, as a natural response. There was a short period where there was a sharp silence, and the sounds of the forest took over. Then, justifying himself, Kent continued, "You have so many people who love an adore you here. You'll never be alone. I'll not allow that."

"Thank you, Kent," Florina replied, smiling broadly and contently, "but, isn't…isn't there something that is troubling you, as well? Have you been lonely, as well?"

_Lonely? Am I…did I even give myself a chance to know?_

"Lady Florina, I…if that is your wish, to know then I will tell you." Kent swallowed, closed his eyes, and opened his heart as far as he could. "I have always been a man who has respected his duty. I never took any chances with what I tried to achieve. I put everything into my work, my training, my duty. When I first became a knight in training, I was taught never to lose sight of that which a knight strives for: duty to his lord, even at the cost of your own life. When I became Commander of the Knight Brigade of Caelin, I took upon myself a tremendous amount of responsibility. That my honor, my duty was to protect a lord upon whom the weight of the world rested…all my insecurities meant nothing compared to that. There was no room to doubt my abilities: even a second's hesitation could cost me my life, and more importantly, the life of the lord whom I served. I was given an honorable and gracious duty, and I could not let up even a bit in that duty…"

Florina put her hands to her face. "Oh, Kent…"

"Even now," Kent continued, his face looking straight ahead, and his jaw beginning to tremble with welling emotion, "I serve my lords without hesitation. I train every day- I do not allow myself to become attached to anyone, lest I become led astray from my purpose, or form allegiances with one who might betray my lord. Everything I wished to accomplish took me down a straight path, a rigorous one that provided me no opportunity to parade my emotions. I have no bearings on speaking casually with anyone, no skill, no tact in speaking with commoners, with fellows, with women. I have no place to…to fall in love, to form friendships, to ease the stresses on my heart, to ease the stresses on my mind! I…I have…I have…I cannot attach…-tach myself to…to…"

Florina looked up solemnly in expectation, and felt something cold and wet fall onto her cheek from above. Her finger again rose to her cheeks and brushed off a tear.

"Oh, Sir Kent, I…"

"No, Lady Florina…" Kent said, discreetly wiping his eyes dry again. "Forgive me. I have said too much. This isn't what you bargained for, having to listen to me, is it? I took…I took these codes upon myself when I assumed my duties. This sort of pathetic display is not befitting of…a knight."

There was a gentle and somber silence as the grove began to thin and they approached the clearing in the woods where the pegasi were tied. This was the conclusion, was it not? The quiet, magical ride…it was almost over.

Florina looked up at Kent, and opened her mouth several times before finally mustering the nerve and the words to speak.

"Sir-Sir Kent? What you said before…about you being a bit rough?"

"Yes, my lady…I remember," replied he, in a melancholy manner.

"You…you were not rough even in the slightest!" she said, looking up at him with a convincing, serious look. "In fact, you were…very gentle to me! You have a way, a touch with women! Please, do not think ill of yourself! You have no reason to"-

"Lady Florina, I…t-thank you." Kent said, swallowing again and looking down at the speaker, who was blushing. He looked back up at the path again, his heart again having swooned, and now he placed a hand to his forehead and breathed deeply the cool, fresh air.

_Steady, steady…don't abandon…don't lose sight of your principles…don't step out of your bounds…_

"You have such a gentle and kind manner about you. I…when I'm with you, I'm not afraid or shy. I don't fear you when you speak to me, or touch me. I'm sure there are many young ladies who would be very attracted to you, Sir Kent…"

"You…you are far too kind, my lady."

The two rode on, until the clearing was nearly ahead of them, when Florina rose her head and met her eyes with his. He looked down and peered back at her.

"Kent…I…there's something more I want to say to you. Umm…I wasn't going to say this to you before, but…I want to say this. No, no. I _have_ to say this."

_No…she won't…she won't tear my heart in two…will she? Will she! _

"Sir Kent, I…the way you've spoken to me, the way you've held me…I've never felt more comfortable in any man's presence before. I feel so strangely…like my heart is burning inside of me…like I'm afraid that something terrible will happen and I'll be all alone again. I…I think I'm in love…"

The knight's world seemed to stop around him. She had indeed said it. There were two roads laid out in stone before him. Must he…must he choose one? Must he choose his duty, and disregard that feeling her smiling, tender face gave him in his heart? Must he choose her, and cast aside all he had worked his life to attain?

_Florina_…

"Ah, in love, Lady Florina…" Kent said then, looking down at her intently, now afraid rather than eager to break the gaze.

_Is_ _this…a test? A test of who I am supposed to be? Or is this merely the way of life? Is this is the love of which Sir Marcus spoke, the love that must not be forgotten or ignored? Is this the right thing to have to feel?_

"You…you have a…fear of men, do you not? Yet, you feel comfortable in my presence? Above all else, you feel comfortable with me, Lady Florina?"

"Sir Kent, please…call me Florina. I don't, umm, really deserve to be called a 'Lady'…" the young woman said, now blushing in her cheeks, but instead of out of embarrassment or discomfort, it was out of raw emotion and caring. "Sir Kent, I…I think I truly love you. You don't have to feel like you owe anything when you are with me. I-If you want to be yourself around me, I would be glad simply to…stand by you, to be with you…to let you care for me, as you have today. I would be happy to stay the way we are, even if you don't return my love. But please…I don't want to see you hurting anymore."

Kent rode on, his hands shaking, his lips trembling, now shutting his eyes and trying to find within his heart the proper words to say, as his mouth could find none. They reached the clearing, with the tents of their encampment looming ever ahead.

He found nothing to say, no words to describe the portents of the future and the feelings of the past (maybe there were none that could); instead, he merely held the young woman closer to him and embraced her tight to himself, his cheek nearly touching hers.

"Sir Kent…when I'm with you, I feel strong. I feel like I can finally be myself."

Kent swallowed and took in a deep breath again, but now he smiled, and perhaps now a weight had been lifted off his shoulders (even as Florina lay nestled between his).

"Please, L- ah, Florina; call me simply, 'Kent', as long as we are alone. And, I…I think I would be more comfortable with myself if I admitted that I…I am beginning to feel for you as well. Even if…even if I disgrace myself as a knight, I'll always keep this love with me."

Kent pulled her tightly up to him and held her closer, her head resting on his shoulder and silently weeping joyfully, and she abandoned any fear she may have harbored- as she knew that she would never feel so comfortable in anyone else's arms.

And Kent, he cried as well for her and for himself, for all the fears he might be leading his life astray, and for that moment he was truly at ease.

"A-ah, Kent…" the young lady said, tears running from her, "You'll never be a disgrace, as long as you believe in your own honor. And whatever happens, I'll stay by your side, Kent. I'll be here…"

_Maybe that was it_, Kent thought to himself as they rode into the camp, Florina still tight in his embrace. _Maybe this growing love of mine will strengthen my convictions…_

At least, it was worth it to hope.


End file.
